Thursday, 22 September 2016

Just a quick post today to show you these beauties from MAC that I bought this week. Now that we are heading into Autumn, the bold, dark lip colours will be making a more regular appearance, so I decided to add a couple of new shades to my collection.

I rarely wear purple lipstick - I'm much more of a classic nude or red kind of girl. But I have been seeing some really stunning makeup looks on Youtube and Instagram recently that feature vibrant purple shades, and so am going to take the plunge and be more experimental this Autumn/Winter. I know these two colours look a little intimidating but, paired with really minimalist, simple eye makeup and base, I think that they could look really classy and striking. We'll see!

I usually get on very well with the matte formula by MAC, and I can tell from just swatching the products on the back of my hand that they are still moisturising enough to not dry out your lips, but matte enough to not look glossy; a look I'm not to keen on for myself. I haven't tried the lipsticks on yet, but keep an eye on my insta as I'm sure I will post a picture when I do: @amymcmillann_

Thursday, 1 September 2016

I'm struggling to understand why a makeup product like this has not actually appeared on the market before now, but my God am I pleased The Body Shop has finally done it!

As soon as I heard about these lightening and darkening drops, I immediately had to rush out and get them. As someone whose skin colour can change quite dramatically depending on both the time of year and also on when I decide to apply fake tan, this sounded like the product I didn't know I always needed. No longer will I have to buy multiple shades of the same foundation at ludicrous prices - these little bottles at £10 each are much more cost effective. The pipette allows you to control just how much darker or lighter you want your foundation to go, and you really do not need much to alter the shade.

I have currently only used the darkening drops, as my skin is slightly more tanned due to this lovely summer weather we have had recently, and I have really been loving the product so far. It has a wonderful formula that doesn't change the consistency of my foundation, or alter my ease of application. I was also slightly concerned that the darkening drops could give my base an orangey-tinge, but thankfully this has not been the case. The shade adjusting drops allow for a more subtle, bronze shade, without looking tacky or 'too much'. I am excited to see whether the lightening drops will be as much of a success once we enter into the cooler months (and I start looking more like a ghost again).

Monday, 18 July 2016

When I was in sixth form I went through a sudden outbreak of acne that just would not shift for well over a year, encouraging me to establish a proper skincare routine; at least one that consisted of more than just a face wipe in the evenings. I went on every skincare blog in the land, trying products left, right, and center, and trying out some rather questionable old wives tale tricks (I cringe to say it, but I genuinely spread crushed up paracetamol on my face on one occasion - WHY?) If I had to pin it down to one item that finally pulled my skin back to normality, however, I would say the same every time: it was the Clarins Gentle Exfoliator.

I can confidently say that this is a product that will just always remain in my skincare routine - it's honestly changed my life. I always used to assume exfoliation went hand-in-hand with scrubbing your face with gritty, bitty cleansers, which I found incredibly abrasive and aggravating on my already dry, acne-prone skin. However, this acidic toner is far more effective. It not only calmed down my spots, but solved my ongoing battle with dry skin. Before I found this toner, I had a very dull and dry complexion and my foundation would often cling to dry patches on my skin. Not a good look. But the Clarins toner banishes dryness, giving me a beautiful glow that shines through my makeup, and just generally allows my makeup to sit better on my face, and for longer too. It's one of the few things I use on my face where I notice an immediate and noticeable difference.

Since the success of using an acidic toner, I have dabbled in other acidic toners as well, but to be honest I always return to my beloved Clarins. Nothing quite seems to beat it.

Saturday, 11 June 2016

I can be super lazy when it comes to my hair, and so, for me, dry shampoo is pretty much an essential. The dry shampoo market is a bit of a minefield I find, though, with some making my hair feel chalky and dry and others smelling slightly funny or intrusive. I've taken one for the team, however, and tried and tested endless bottles to conclude that Batiste Tropical is by far the best.

With a tropical, coconut scent, this dry shampoo smells really lovely in my hair throughout the day and is especially fitting for the summer season. It banishes any unwanted grease in my roots without giving my hair a weird texture and doesn't leave that awful white-grey tint in my hair that so many other dry shampoos tend to do. I also find that spraying this dry shampoo lends my hair a little extra volume, so it really does tick all the boxes!